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Dec 07

XtremeMac offers new colors for Tuffwrap iPad cases

XtremeMac (http://www.extrememac.com) says its Tuffwrap iPad cases are now available in purple and white. The Tuffwrap case is designed to protect the iPad and blend fashion with functionality, durability and style.

The Tuffwrap is an US$39.99, form-fitting, silicone case that safeguards the iPad by shielding it from unwanted scratches. It allows users full access to all controls and features textured sides for added grip.

Foxconn Electronics' plants in Shenzhen, China have recently been notified they will ship Apple's iPad 2 within the next 100 days with initial shipments to reach 400,000-600,000 units, according to "DigiTimes" (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20101206PD224.html), quoting "sources from Taiwan-based component makers."

The article says the "iPad 2" will ship as soon as the end of February in 2011. Apple originally planned to start mass production in January, but because the device's firmware is currently still in testing, Apple has been postponing the schedule, "DigiTimes" says.

The iPhone now accounts for 36.5%of the smartphone market, compared to Nokia's 30.5% share, according to IDC's "Q3 Mobile Device Tracker" report. However, Google's Android platform is growing even faster than Apple's iOS with a 21%, up from 7.1% in quarter two (Q2) and only 2.1% in Q1.

"It's looking like next year it's going to be close between Android and Apple but I would be inclined to say that Apple will keep its lead, although we have been under pretty much every quarter with our...

Blizzard Entertainment is now shipping World of Warcraft: Cataclysm (http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/cataclysm/), the third expansion for the subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game.

The expansion is available on DVD-ROM for Mac OS X and Window at a suggested retail price of US$39.99 and is also offered as a digital download from the Blizzard Store. A special Collector’s Edition packed with bonus items will be available exclusively in retail stores for a suggested retail price of $79.99.

Here's how the expansion pack is described: "In Cataclysm, the face of Azeroth will be forever altered by the return of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing. Players will explore once-familiar areas of the world that have now been reshaped by the devastation and filled with new adventures. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new...

BoxTone (http://www.boxtone.com), which specializes in proactive Mobile Service Management (MSM) software, today announced results from a survey of nearly 950 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) members, which indicates that iPad deployments are accelerating in large part due to the mobile device’s compelling point-of-care applications and uses.

Key findings include:

° More than 25% of the HIMSS respondents plan to deploy the iPad and other iOS devices immediately, and nearly 70% plan to deploy the devices within the next year.

° One-third identified point-of-care applications -- including lab order visualization and results, clinical decision support and medical image viewing applications -- as top priorities, while 18% identified general administration including billing, coding and claims applications as top priorities.

The iPad Lock from Maclocks (http://www.maclocks.com/i-pad-lock.html) is a new iPad cable lock. With it you retain all of your mobility, and you can lock and unlock it in seconds, taking it with you wherever you go, according to the folks at Maclocks.

The iPad Lock also doubles as a security solution for retailers. The first component of the patent-pending iPad Lock is a hard, clear plastic case you can leave on for everyday protection. And since the iPad has no security slot, the case has one built in. That way you can lock the security cable to the case, and loop the cable's other end around a fixed object (like a table).

Once the case and cable are locked together, thieves can't detach the case without damaging the iPad. Weighing less than one pound, the cable's lock-head purportedly has the smallest diameter of any computer lock in the world.

In collaboration with iPresentee, iWebTemplate (http://www.iwebtemplate.com) has added new iWeb themes to be used with Apple's web site building application. They are Stylish Black, Pet Theme, Travel, Party Night and Trends.

The new iWeb themes can be customized. Each new theme offers eight templates, including: Welcome, About Me, Photos, My Albums, Movie, Blog, Podcast, and Blank. Over 145 iWeb templates are now available from iWebTemplate.

The themes require Mac OS X 10.4.3 or higher and iLife '08- iLife '11. Each new iWeb theme is available for US$9.99. Samples and more information about iWeb themes are available immediately at the iWebTemplate web site.

Adobe says the Lightroom 3.3 and Camera Raw 6.3 updates are available for immediate download on Adobe.com.

Originally posted as release candidates on Adobe Labs, the final updates bring raw file support to 15 new camera model, including the Nikon D7000 and Canon Powershot S95, as well as lens profiles for over 60 new Nikon, Canon, Pentax and Sigma lenses. Available on Adobe Labs, the Lens Profile Downloader 1.0 -- a free companion application to Lightroom 3, Photoshop CS5 and Camera Raw 6 -- allows customers to search, download, rate and comment on over 300 lens correction profiles provided by the community.

Photographers can create custom profiles for their own lenses and share them with the user community. A full list of the newly added raw camera support and the new and improved lens profiles can be found on the Lightroom Journal at http://blogs.adobe.com/...

Ergonis Software (http://www.ergonis.com) has released KeyCue 5.2, an update of the keyboard shortcut "cheat sheet." The upgrade comes with a number of enhancements and fixes, including improved compatibility with FileMaker Pro 11 and Keyboard Maestro.

KeyCue detects and displays an instant overview of all shortcuts. Until now, KeyCue could show only keyboard shortcuts that are visible in a program's regular menus. Version 5 also comes with a new technique for easy installation and update and offers further improvements, like an option to specify on which display the shortcut table shall appear.

KeyCue 5.2 requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. The upgrade to KeyCue 4.5 is free for anyone who has purchased KeyCue in the last two years. For new users the cost is US$29 for a single user license.

PopCap Games has released Bejeweled 3, a sequel to its flagship franchise. It has twice the game modes of its predecessor ,as well as eight mini-games and a complete revision of sound and graphicss.

The game is available today on PopCap.com and major portal partners such as MSN Games, Pogo.com, Steam, GameHouse and WildTangent, as well as at retail outlets throughout North America including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, and Amazon.com, at a suggested retail price of US$19.95.

Beyond high-definition graphics (1920 x 1200 in "ultra" mode) and a new soundtrack, Bejeweled 3 boasts eight different modes containing a cornucopia of new game experiences. Among those are four new "secret" modes (Butterflies, Diamond Mine, Ice Storm and Poker).

BorisFX (http://www.borisfx.com) says a new Boris Continuum Unit, Morph, is now available. The Boris Continuum Morph Unit allows Adobe After Effects artists to generate real-time static or animated image warps, animated image morphs between a pair of still images, and animated video morphs from video clips.

The Boris Continuum Morph Unit is available at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$199. It supports Adobe After Effects CS5, CS4, and CS3 under 64-bit and 32-bit operating systems. Customers who purchase the Boris Continuum Morph Unit or any other Boris Continuum Unit may credit the price of the Unit towards the full Boris Continuum Complete plug-in suite. For more information, visit the Boris FX web site.

KidsMotion from Aquafadas (http://www.aquafadas.com) is new video software fro kids who want to create and share animations. With the US$45 application for Mac OS X 10.5.8 and higher, users can share stories on Facebook, Youtube, by email, or by converting videos for QuickTime.

Birthdays, holidays, school presentations and other events can be narrated with KidsMotion. The software requires a Quartz Extreme compatible graphic card with 128MB of shared memory.

CS Odessa has introduced ConceptDraw Office 2.0, which now gives business professionals single-click access to integrated solutions for project management, brainstorming, report writing, and much more. The latest ConceptDraw Office suite release is being launched in tandem with the new ConceptDraw Solution Park online resource center.

Central to the US$499 ConceptDraw Office 2.0 suite is the new ConceptDraw Solution Browser. Through the browser, users can view available solutions on ConceptDraw Solution Park and click on the solution they want. ConceptDraw Solution Browser then automatically loads any software, templates and guides supporting the chosen solution.

Version 2.0 also enhances integration of the suite’s ConceptDraw MindMap for mind mapping and brainstorming, ConceptDraw Project project management software, and ConceptDraw Pro for business diagramming and scoreboard development and display. For example, a user can brainstorm in ConceptDraw MindMap and...

KijomagiDay has announced Miro: Color the World! 1.0 for the iPhone and iPod touch. In the US$0.99 game, players select one of the little funny monsters, the Miros, and color a beautiful land by rolling on it. The faster they do it, better will be their world ranking. Miro: Color The World! features five characters, 25 levels, Facebook and Twitter integration and more.

Evetone Labs has released Current 1.0, a realtime Twitter search app for iPhone and iPod touch devices. The $1.99 app allows its users to search Twitter in real time and supports queries, filtering tweets by language and autorefresh intervals for searches.

Gamez 4 Touch has introduced the physics puzzle game, Play With Your Peas for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. It's a $...

Partying takes precedent on this week's "The MUG Event Calendar," but there are still some noticeable events underway.

Jeff Carlson will talk iMovie ‘11 at a Washington group, while user group activist Nicholas Pyers will discuss email at an Australian group, and Canon will show off their offerings to a Louisiana Final Cut Pro group. Holiday parties dominate the rest of this week’s calendar, although there will be presentations of Microsoft Office 2011, Mac security, print-on-demand, Bento, iLife 11, Apple TV and more.

"The MUG Event Calendar" can be found at The MUG Center (http://www.mugcenter.com), an online resource for Mac User Groups. MUGs are good places for making new friends in the Mac community, improving your computing skills, finding solutions to technical Problems, and perhaps locating a good deal on used hardware. For more info on MUGs, and to find the location of the one nearest...

AT&T is now the worst-rated cell-phone service carrier according to a new survey of "Consumer Reports" readers. ANd U.S. Cellular, a regional carrier that provides service in 26 states, beat out the long-standing top provider Verizon Wireless with outstanding marks for value, voice service and customer support.

The full article also features carrier ratings in 23 metropolitan markets and is in the January 2011 issue of "Consumer Reports" and at http://www.ConsumerReports.org . In this year’s version of an annual "Consumer Reports" survey on cell-phone carriers, more than 58,000 ConsumerReports.org subscribers weighed in about their service and customer support experiences with contract and no-contract providers.

AT&T was the only carrier whose scores for overall satisfaction dropped significantly since last year. Verizon Wireless remains among the better performers, but...

Portable Sound Laboratories (http://www.imaingo.com) has announced the US$69.99 iMainGo X Pink Version. It was designed to offer "high-end sound quality and amazing light weight portability to customers who use the iPhone, any Apple iPod, the Microsoft Zune, and most other MP3 players ."

It also custom fits and protects all iPods (except the shuffle), the iPhone and iPod touch. The iMainGo X can even be used as a premium external speaker system for any device with a 3.5 mm connection, such as the iPad, Kindle, laptop computers, electric guitar, etc. Its i daisy-chain feature also enables the user to connect more iMainGo X's for more sound.

In addition to giving REALbasic developers a solution for converting styled text into HTML, the version 1.0.6 update allows embedding images in HTML email messages, and offers built-in Undo functionality. There are also improvements for editing text in Windows and for displaying multi-byte text.

Developers can download a free compiled demo application that demonstrates the capabilities of PWStyleHTMLField. The application, available in both Macintosh and Windows versions, includes complete documentation for the PWStyleHTMLField and its associated classes. It's available at http://pandaware.com/RB/pwhtmlfield.html . Developers can also request a time-limited demo project for testing in their own...

Google says the eBookstore will be compatible with a variety of devices are compatible with Google eBooks, including iOS devices. With the new Google eBooks Web Reader, you can buy, store and read Google eBooks in the cloud.

In addition to a full-featured web reader, free apps for Apple and Apple devices will make it possible to shop and read on the go. For many books you can select which font, font size, day/night reading mode and line spacing suits you -- and pick up on the page where you left off when switching devices.

Google says its eBookStore sports more than three million titles, including bestsellers like James Patterson’s "Cross Fire" and Jonathan Franzen’s "Freedom" to classics like "Great Expectations," "A Tale of Two Cities" and "...

Unified Color Technologies, which specializes in high dynamic range imaging (HDR), has released HDR Express, a tool specifically designed to meet the requirements of professional photographers and photo enthusiasts who are new to HDR software. On the Mac platform, it's compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.8 and higher.

With HDR Express, Unified Color has automated some of the most complex aspects of HDR photography and replaced the traditional HDR workflow with an alternative for creating the most realistic HDR renderings possible making this once-complicated process accessible to even the most novice user, according to Unified Color Technologies CEO Alfred Zee. The software automates key aspects of the HDR production process, such as tone mapping and halo elimination.

After merging the multiple exposures required for the HDR process into a 32-bit image, the user interface presents an animated exposure range preview of the HDR image along with five tone mapping preset...

FaCILISI (http://www.facilisi.com/) has introduced Holiday Season iWork Pages Templates for the iWork app for both Mac OS X and iPad. The professionally designed, editable templates enable the creation of holiday brochures, newsletters and postcards for the Pages users.

There are over 100 templates from which to choose. Pages users only need to add their own text and pictures to create documents for the holiday season. All templates are editable; users can change fonts, colors, sizes, etc. Graphics that were created with Pages are also editable. The Holidays Templates will be available during the holiday season only.

iWork Pages Templates are compatible with Pages '08 and '09. iPad Pages Templates are compatible with Pages iPad. The templates are available individually for US$0.99.

Tee-Boy has announced WeatherSnoop 2.0 (http://www.weathersnoop.com) for Mac OS X 10.5.8 and higher. Designed to procure, analyze and publish weather data, the app interfaces with a variety of personal and professional weather stations as well as Internet-based data sources.

Version 2.0 features graphing capabilities for analysis and trending of weather values, and adds support for the Peet Brothers ULTIMETER 100/800/2000/2100 weather station and the RainWise MKIIICC-LR computer interface. You can select the value and the range to view your data with just a click of the mouse. Also featured in WeatherSnoop 2.0 is support for two professional weather stations: the Peet Bros. ULTIMETER 100/800/2000/2100 and the RainWise MKIIICC-LR computer interface.

WeatherSnoop is available for US$59.99 (USD), with a Lite version available for $19.99. A demo is available for download.

Craig Federighi, vice president of engineering for OS X, demoed Lion at the Back to the Mac event in October. The Mac App Store brings the Apple App Store experience to Mac OS X, making discovering, installing and updating Mac apps easier than ever, he said. Like on the iPad, you purchase apps using your iTunes account and they download and install in just one step. The Mac App Store will be available for Mac OS X 10.6, and will be built into next year's Mac OS X Lion.

Bandai Namco has released Pac-Man Championship Edition DX on iOS and Android, which features the classic arcade gameplay that we've all grown to love.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX can be enjoyed in much shorter bursts than the arcade versions but the gameplay remains intact. [Read more]
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Angel Stone is Fincon's follow up to the massively successful Hello Hero and is out now on iOS and Android.
You play as a member of The Resistance, a group of mighty human warriors who have risen up in defiance of the Demon horde threatening to wipe out humanity. [Read more]
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The not exactly rumors were true and the birds are back. Angry Birds 2 has come to the App Store and the world will... well I suppose it'll still be the same, but now we have more bird-flinging options!
[Read more]
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You Could Design Your Own Card for Chain...

If you've ever wanted to create your own item, weapon, trap, or even monster for Chainsaw Warrior: Lords of the Night, this is your chance. Auroch Digital is currently holding a contest so that fans can fight to the death (not really) to see which design will make the cut (no pun intended).
[Read more]
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Bitcoin Billionaire is Going Back in Tim...

If you thought you managed to buy everything there is to buy in Bitcoin Billionaire and make all the money, well you though wrong. Those of you who made it far enough might remember investing in time travel - and it looks like that investment is finally going to accomplish something.
[Read more]
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Domino Drop (Games)

Domino Drop 1.0
Device: iOS Universal
Category: Games
Price: $1.99, Version: 1.0 (iTunes)
Description:
Domino Drop is a delightful new puzzle game with dominos and gravity!Learn how to play it in a minute, master it day by day.Your mind will be challenged.Your soul will be calmed.Features:- 3 unique game modes- 12 pleasant music... | Read more »

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